The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-03

published, and from what l have seen
and heard / am sure that tens OF thous.
ands OF your truest aud be t friends
sre grieved and panied by your letter.
We believe we could carry the Stats
against the combined influence and
efforts Of the manufacturers OF whisky
and beer, the liquor dealers associs.
lions ofSt J. ,uis, Chicago. Louisville,
Cincinnati, New York, PHILADELPHIA
and elsewhere, and against the uss OF
the vast sums Of money they have
sent to Texas to employ and pay
speakers, suborn the newspapers, and
corrupt the ballot and debauch the
people. We believed We could carry
1t against the ealoon keep are, profess
onslipolitiCisns and number ollgood
mon Ike our friend Gov. Lubbock,
but the power OF your great mans Is
now being psrated against the Pro.
hibitionist not only, but come good
men who, like yourself, think p.ohi-
bitiou moe dangerous than the liquor
traffic and drunkenness with ali the
evils, poverty, shame, sorrow and
crime that follow In their train. Your
letter IL being rad and spplaudsd by
every saloon keeper and dram dinker
In Texas today, and 1t will cost cause
which man o as deem OF the greatest
importance ma y thousands of
votes, aad We 1 or may dsfeat the
amendment aud give the indorseme at
OF the people to the liquor traffic with
the griefs, sorrows aud crimes which
70 with II.
You obi sct to this amendment be.
cause thv word is governed too much.
Oar laws prohibit The carrying of pis-
tole, bowie knives and brass knuckles,
and pu uish those carving them by
fine and imprisonment. Oar laws
prohibit aud provide for the punish.
ment Of many other things which are
injurious to sOcie,y, aud which restrain
the personal liberty OF the citizen.
Y u admit that the incorporate use oil
liquor Is the root Of many social dis
orders. No one can truthfully deny
the banefui eff Of the liquor traffic
But You think with many others tina,
to prohibit II will be an abrldgemeu,
Of personal liberty. This Is admitted
Personal liberty WAS abridged wher
God forbade our progenitors to eat o.
the fruit of the tree Of life. The dFca
logue In tbs Holy Scriptures abridgel
personal liberty in nearly every CON
IN 'ndment. The laws Of the United
States and oil our several States are Ia
q large measure mSde Of proyisious I n
the abrdsement Of personal liberty
Iney do this In order to give protec
tloa to the persons, the regulations
tho lives, the property OF the people,
TO give psace aud prosperity TO society
They do IL because government snS
civil society cannot exist without tn,
abridgement Of personal liberty. The,
do 1t for the good OF society and thu
protection Of Ito members.
Is the liquor traffic an evil? Few
hsye the hardihood 10 deny that il 10
Most Of the Anti Prohibition orator
OF this State admit that IL 10. Then
why not prohibit, except for the use
FOL purposes mentioned In the amend
ment, a. one prohibits gambling sB,
the carrying OF weapons7 You just,
Yfer TO drunkards as degraded crimi
nails" Why not d. oil we lawfull,
may 10 prevent drunkenness and tn
crimes II gives rise tot
The great charter OF English liberty
the portions OF the con ,titution OF ths
Uaited States which operate as q bill
OF rights, the bills Of rights Of the eey
eral states Of the Union-may be ar
alyE,d In all their aspects and IL wi
not cannot be found that they, any
where, under any circumstances, pre-
tect personal liberty where iis exercis
iss crime or ofiends ipjuriously tn
interest OF society. They only pre-
tect those great add sacred rights with
ont which men cannot be free; car
not enjoy either personal liberty Q
p 'pnlar rights. II the liquc
traffic 10 right; II II promote
peace; II IL promotes prosperity
IL Is increases the happinei
Of the person; II II promotes the ger
eTal welfare; II IL 10 necessary az
means OF maintaining our private O
public rights and libeities-then
ngtee that II In protected by tho bill
OF rights, aud ought not 10 be int
fsred with. Bat II II Is evil, II Il pr,
,, duces drunkenness, idleness an
. crime; II IL leads 10 tie waste OF 70
ture; iit caufes the impoveTishmen
, iisgfa'e aud Tuin Of men; II IL a
prves women and children of IN
comforts OF lie and home; II Il caus,
men h Insult, abuse. maltreat an
murder one another; n IL causes thel
10 negec,, 10 abuse, 10 degrade an
beat their wives and children-thsn
submit II does not come In with n
, protection OF our bills Of righte, an
with these things are not the per son
liberties which should be held Il
. violate.
Much "a / disagree with the theol
/. and the policy Of your letter, ar
much ~ regret the use which IL b
= ing made OF Il In Texas, know yC
would not have written II II you hs
not believed Its sentiments lust, an
that Its publication would do good.
. recognise the fact that many OH
good men like yourself take the san
view. IL does not change my eel
mate OF your purity, patriotism OF
= virtue, nor can Il Affect my person
a friendship and admiration, the reeu
!, Of an Intercourse which showed n
y the purity and greatness Of your chs
: acter. But q sense OF public du
n compels me, reRretiully, indeed, 10 a
,. vie you that l shall authorize 81
!, publication Of this letter In vindiC
u ton, TO this limited extent, OF my ov
: views and OF the thousands OF 20,
people Of Texas who think IN I do
this question Very truly 20
,. friend, JoHs II. RxAoAs.